Latest news with #ISL
New Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Durand Cup: Home favourites hope for strong start to wrest early advantage
CHENNAI: The first week of 134th IndianOil Durand Cup promises to be an exciting one with 10 matches slotted across five host cities Kolkata, Jamshedpur, Shillong, Kokrajhar and Imphal from July 23. This was shared by the organising committee of Saturday. Top Indian Super League (ISL) teams Emami East Bengal FC (16-time former winners) and Jamshedpur FC (former ISL League Winners Shield winners) kick-off one after another on the first two match days, while at least three local derbies, featuring other top local contenders like Mohammedan Sporting (former champions), Shillong Lajong FC and Neroca FC (former finalists), are also likely to garner significant local interest. With teams like ISL champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant, defending champions NorthEast United FC and ISL side Punjab FC beginning in week two, early three points will give a fillip to the early starters looking to seal knockout berths. The openers The two games down in the plains before moving up to the beautiful hills of the North East, features giants East Bengal against Bengaluru League top division side South United FC in a tricky Group A opener, also the first game of the tournament, at home at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata. That will be followed the next day by Jamshedpur taking on Nepal's Tribhuvan Army at their home at the JDR Tata Sports Complex in the Steel City. The Red Miners also play their second Group C game in week one, against the Malaysian Army outfit this time and nothing short of two wins will satisfy their growing fan base. Likewise, now with a new line-up of foreign recruits in their camp, fans of the Red & Gold brigade will demand nothing less than a confident win in their opener. The three derbies The first derby of the 134th IndianOil Durand Cup, this year features a different kind of Kolkata derby, with the century-old Mohammedan Sporting taking on Calcutta Premier Division League rivals Diamond Harbour FC (DHFC), the I-League 2 champions. Mohammedan are looking for their first win over the newly formed and fast rising outfit, with DHFC winning one of the two matches played between them so far. The second will see the ever-popular Shillong Lajong FC, take on another Shillong side Rangdaijed United, with both teams on the path to regain lost glory. The Shillong derby will be played at the JLN stadium as the opening game of Group E. The final derby of week one will witness the famous Imphal derby between old rivals Neroca FC and TRAU FC as the Durand Cup makes a return to the capital of Manipur. It will sure be a treat to see the picturesque Khuman Lampak packed with football lovers once again. Matches live: Sony Ten2 and SonyLIV Source: Organisers
News18
19 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
Durand Cup 2025: Home Favourites Hope For Strong Start To Wrest Early Advantage
The 134th Durand Cup, commencing on July 23rd, 2025, features 10 matches spread across the host cities of Kolkata, Jamshedpur, Shillong, Kokrajhar, and Imphal. This promises to be an exciting first week of football action, especially with popular home favourites aiming to gain an early advantage through strong starts. Top Indian Super League (ISL) teams, East Bengal FC (16-time former winners) and Jamshedpur FC (former ISL League Winners Shield winners), will kick off on the first two match days. Additionally, three local derbies featuring other top local contenders like Mohammedan Sporting (former champions), Shillong Lajong FC, and NEROCA FC (former finalists) are expected to attract significant local interest.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Signs & stories in Bengaluru: A revolution is under way in Cubbon Park's quiet corners
Bengaluru: Amid the rustling leaves and bird calls during calm weekend mornings inside Cubbon Park, a quiet revolution is under way — one that doesn't need spoken words to be powerful. Gathered on the grass with books on their laps and stories in their hearts, a group of hearing-impaired individuals meets, not just to read, but to feel, share, and heal. They call it the Deaf Bookwave. This isn't a typical book club with rushed monologues or loud debates. Instead, the conversations here unfold in expressive gestures, in shared glances, and in the warm, invisible thread of community that connects hearing-impaired individuals across a noisy city. The idea was sparked by 23-year-old Parmeet Singh, a soft-spoken but determined psychology and English literature student. Deaf since birth, Parmeet lived in Delhi, Chennai, Uttarakhand, and Hyderabad, before finally finding a home and purpose in the tech capital. On March 31 this year, he launched Deaf Bookwave and two weeks later, the first meeting was held under the shade of Cubbon Park's giant raintrees. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru "Each meeting isn't just about discussing books," Parmeet explained. "It's about emotional sharing, deaf-led storytelling, and community bonding. People bring any book they like, and then share their stories in Indian Sign Language (ISL). The group listens — not with ears, but with eyes and hearts." Since April, the group has held four meets — three in Bengaluru and one in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The next one? In Delhi. The movement is slowly rippling across cities, powered not by promotion, but by word of hand. At the most recent Cubbon Park session, 28 deaf readers gathered — the largest turnout yet. The books they discussed: Helen Keller: Life Story, The Little Book of Confidence, and Dear Stranger, I Know How You Feel. These weren't just titles, they were emotional mirrors for them. Nithin Gowda, a participant, shared how, despite his struggles with reading, ISL explanations opened up the text to him. "I experienced so many thoughts and emotions. It was a really great experience," he signed with a smile. For Vaishnavi, another participant, the impact was even deeper. "In my past, I didn't really understand what was right or wrong. But during the Deaf Bookwave session, they discussed life through books. That really changed me." Every meeting is part storytelling circle, part group therapy, and part celebration. The rules are simple: Bring any book you love, sign your story, and listen — not with ears, but with empathy. "There's something magical that happens when deaf people come together in a space where they feel safe and understood," Parmeet said. "At the end of one session, a participant told me, 'My eyes are open now.' That moved me deeply. " At a time when libraries and classrooms rarely cater to the hearing-impaired community, Deaf Bookwave is turning book reading into a shared and visual experience for the participants. Parmeet plans to take Deaf Bookwave to other parts of the country. "There are so many deaf individuals out there who are intelligent, thoughtful, and full of emotion, but they don't have spaces to express themselves. I want to change that." — Prathikaa Shastry
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Indian Super League: Caught in offside trap, waiting for SC to resume play
A major decision has rocked Indian football. The 14-team Indian Super League (ISL) has been put on hold for the 2025-26 season due to uncertainty surrounding the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between the league's organisers, the Football Sports Development Ltd (FSDL) and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the clubs. Last month, FSDL, a joint venture between Reliance and Star, which runs the league and are commercial partners of AIFF, met club owners and told them that the league will not kick off unless there is clarity over the 15-year MRA that ends on December 8 this year. Now, those words have been put on record, setting the proverbial cat among the pigeons. The Supreme Court is set to hear the matter on the AIFF's Constitution on July 18. Former general secretary of the AIFF Kushal Das says the situation is critical and unprecedented. 'If you read the FSDL letter carefully, it states that unless there is clarity on the way forward, including renewal of the MRA, the ISL is kept on hold. Now if you look at the timelines, the SC will first have to approve the new Constitution and then may even order elections since they have orally mentioned that this was an interim committee. Assuming the Constitution is approved by August, elections might not happen before December and then the new Committee will decide on the renewal. So I can't see how ISL can happen this season. The AIFF could have foreseen this and requested the SC to allow ISL for this season even if it went beyond the contract,' he said. According to sources, the matter stems from disagreement around the structure of the ISL, which the two parties haven't been able to reach a consensus on. 'There were meetings in February and March. The AIFF got back on April 21 and the FSDL reverted on April 24. Both sides can expedite the matters. This won't be a straightforward negotiation. Both the parties are looking at the right way to go forward commercially and competitively. Overhaul of the structure is needed,' the aforementioned people said. FSDL has reportedly proposed a new holding company to govern, operate, commercialise and fund the ISL, with ownership split between clubs (60 per cent), FSDL (26 per cent) and AIFF (14 per cent). AIFF, however, proposed an all-cash deal of ₹50 crore annually with a 5 per cent yearly hike, which FSDL rejected. Business Standard reached out to AIFF but queries didn't elicit responses till press time. Suspension or putting on hold a top-tier football league isn't common, especially over contractual reasons. The English and French premiere leagues were suspended from 1939-1946 because of the World War. In India, the Calcutta Football League, the oldest football league in Asia and one of the oldest in the world, was suspended in 1930 because of the Salt Satyagraha. In recent times, competitions were put on hold because of the pandemic. A number of former players have said that this hasn't happened out of the blue and the way football was being run in the country saw its culmination in this incident. Former India player Bhaichung Bhutia told Business Standard that it started with FIFA's suspension of the AIFF in 2022. 'The government wanted to host the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup to get the ban lifted. Because of the rush, a temporary body was elected. The Constitution wasn't made for a long time and the election should have been held after the world cup. But it wasn't and it all boils down to bad timing,' he said. The development also brings to light the turbulent relationship corporations have with sports. While some companies across the globe have been at the forefront of investing in the sports, mainly as CSR, others have been accused of using these investments as means to sportswashing, a practice of using sports to improve the reputation of a country, organisation, or individual. 'This is unavoidable and is happening in every sport across the world. Look at cricket in this country. Many federations have marketing partners. AFC has a marketing partner. FIFA used to have a marketing partner but now they do it in-house. But can AIFF do it in-house? I don't think so. So the question is to clearly define the roles of the marketing partner and the federation. Now that clearly depends on the commercial value of the property and is a matter of negotiations. BCCI could do it in house as could FIFA on their terms because they have highly valuable sporting properties,' says Das. 'Corporations are important to help the sport grow. But no matter who comes in, the priority should always be upliftment of the sport. Taking the country's football forward should be the ultimate goal,' says Bhutia. Timeline of Indian football's administrative woes 1996: The AIFF launches country's first national league, the 12-team National Football League (NFL) 2006: AIFF signs 10-year agreement with Zee Sports to help popularize the game 2007: I-League launched with a more traditional approach, with teams playing home and away matches 2010: AIFF terminates contract with Zee due to differences 2011: Signs 15-year agreement worth ₹700 cr with Reliance and International Management Group (IMG) 2013: With Reliance's backing, AIFF launches Indian Super League (ISL) in October 2016: Indian Womens League launched with six teams 2017: India hosts FIFA Under-17 World Cup but fails to qualify beyond group stage 2019: ISL granted premiere league status in India with I-League being relegated as second rung competition 2022: India hosts FIFA Women's Under-17 World Cup but fails to qualify beyond group stage again 2024: Indian men's football team ended the year winless after playing 11 matches
NDTV
2 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
After Stepping Down As India Head Coach, Manolo Marquez To Helm FC Goa In Coming Season
After stepping down as Indian men's football team head coach earlier this month, Spaniard Manolo Marquez on Friday re-joined FC Goa to helm the club for the 2025-26 season. FC Goa announced that Marquez has signed to continue as the head coach for the upcoming season, his third at the club. "No one forgets the Don and the Don never forgets home. Welcome Back Boss," FC Goa posted on their social media handle. "I was very happy during the previous two seasons, where the team showed consistent improvement each year. The level of organisation that the club operates with is not commonly observed in Indian club football, making FC Goa a very special club," Marquez said of his return in a club statement. "It was clear for me that if I were to continue in India, it had to be with FC Goa," he added. The Indian Super League, the country's top-tier competition is, however, on "hold" due to the uncertainty over the issue of the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement -- to expire on December 8 -- between the AIFF and the organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). Marquez resigned from his national role on July 2 after reaching a "mutual agreement" with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which was under pressure to fix accountability for the recent downward spiral of the national team. The 56-year-old was appointed as India head coach in June 2024 for a two-year tenure. He worked in a dual role last year, also guiding FC Goa in the 2024-25 ISL season. India lost 0-1 to lower-ranked Hong Kong in an away match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on June 10, which left the country in danger of missing out on qualifying for the continental showpiece in 2027. India logged just one win from their last eight matches under Marquez's tutelage, the lone victory coming against Maldives in March. Marquez was initially signed for FC Goa in 2023 on a two-year deal, and since has become the longest serving head coach of the Gaurs, with a campaign spanning 62 matches across all competitions. He will begin his third season at FC Goa with a desire to maintain a successful record, not only taking the club further in Indian football, but Asian football as well, thanks to the win in the Kalinga Super Sup last season. To begin with, he will be leading the club in the preliminary stage of the AFC Champions League 2, against Omani Professional League team, Al-Seeb Club, where FC Goa will play host at Fatorda on August 13. "Some stories did not mean to this is unfinished business. I am coming home to finish what we started," the Spaniard said. "It is obviously not a usual pre-season for us. Generally, you get about six to eight weeks of training before you arrive at the first ISL game in good conditions, having played multiple domestic competitions already," Marquez said. "We are in a special situation, but a great one for us at the club where we also have the AFC match to look forward to. It will be a difficult game against Al-Seeb, but we are, of course, ready to play against them and the target will be to be there with our best foot forward." On Marquez's re-joining of FC Goa, club CEO Ravi Puskur said, "When the opportunity arose to bring Manolo back, it was one of the most straightforward decisions we've had to make at the club. Over the past two seasons, he has not only delivered results but done so with a clear identity and a deep commitment to improving the group as a whole." This year, joining Marquez in his coaching staff are two new members -- Spaniards Marc Gamon as goalkeeping coach, and David Ramos as the Strength & Conditioning coach -- following the departure of Asier Ray Santin and Jose Carlos Barroso. Gamon finished a two-year stint with Belgian club KMSK Deinze and reunited with Marquez last year. For the 2024-25 season, Gamon was Marquez's goalkeeping coach for the Blue Tigers. They worked together again after coaching Hyderabad FC in the 2020-21 season. Ramos, new to Indian football, comes with the experience of coaching clubs in Spain and China. The rest of his coaching staff, including assistant coaches Benito Montalvo and Gouramangi Singh Moirangthem, continue their roles at the club.
